Traffic-Control Systems Can Easily Be Hacked
Like something out of a movie, security company IOActive has discovered that the traffic-control systems found in nearly every state of the Union are vulnerable to hackers. What’s even more distressing is that it doesn’t take a supercomputer to compromise these technologies.
Cheap hardware is all that’s required, plus a little know-how of course. Researchers found an exploit that allows them to target the unencrypted wireless signals that are sent between vehicle-detecting sensors and traffic lights.
This security flaw cannot be used to control an individual light but it could be taken advantage of in order to cause traffic disruptions or other vehicular mayhem. Lights can be made to stay green longer, to turn red or even flash. In states where freeway on-ramps are controlled, these lights can be manipulated as well, to the peril of many.
SEE ALSO: How to Avoid Traffic Jams, or at Least Getting Stuck in Them
Obviously the implications of this kind of control are immense. Playing with finely tuned traffic lights can lead to deadly crashes and emergency vehicles could be blocked, to say nothing of how much time it would waste for motorists stuck in jams.
One other disturbing thing is that compromised systems are supposedly really hard and very costly to detect. Replacing traffic-light controllers is also prohibitively expensive.
[Source: Left Lane News]
Born and raised in metro Detroit, Craig was steeped in mechanics from childhood. He feels as much at home with a wrench or welding gun in his hand as he does behind the wheel or in front of a camera. Putting his Bachelor's Degree in Journalism to good use, he's always pumping out videos, reviews, and features for AutoGuide.com. When the workday is over, he can be found out driving his fully restored 1936 Ford V8 sedan. Craig has covered the automotive industry full time for more than 10 years and is a member of the Automotive Press Association (APA) and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).
More by Craig Cole
Comments
Join the conversation